Flying saucer kite



March 24, 1953 v w. e. BODELL 2,632,614

FLYING SAUCER KITE Filed 001.. 7, 1950 five/"$507" AZZarragys PatentedMar. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLYING SAUCER KITE Wilbur G.Bodell, Tucson, Ariz.

Application October 7, 1950, Serial No. 188,973

7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to kites adapted to be flown andparticularly to a kite having a, substantially circular periphery.

it is an object of my invention to provide a novel and improvedextremely ingenious kite adapted to be flown in relatively light windsand to rise to relatively high altitudes.

kite when it is-flown.

Still more specifically it is an object to provide a kite having a,double conical frame with an imperforate covering stretched across thelower frame structure, said imperforate covering having a singleaperture formed therein and a stabilizing fin fixed to said frame anddisposed in a plane extending diametrically across the kite through thecentral hub thereof and bisecting said aperture."

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similarparts throughout the several views, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my new kite;

I Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the kite shown in Fig. 1 withthe covering removed; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the lower portion of the kite.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings I provide a kite having arelatively rigid frame structure which, in the form shown, is in theshape of a double conical figure in which the cones are relatively flatand have coincident base structures and in which the vertices thereofare slightly truncated as best shown in Fig. 2.

This frame has a pair of spaced disks 4 and 5 fixed at the respectivevertices of the two slightly truncated frame sections. These disks 4 and5 are rigidly fixed to a central pin 6 which combines with the disks 4and 5 to form a central hub for the. frame structure. A plurality ofstrut members 1 extend radially outwardly from the top hub disk 4 to thecircular ring l0 and are fixed thereto at their outer ends in anysuitable manner such as being cemented thereto or connected thereto bythe short sleeve sections Similarly spaced struts 8 extend outwardlyfrom the lower hub disk 5 and are similarly fixed to said peripheralring l0.

An upstanding strut member 9 is interposed between the inner ends of tworadial struts 1 and 8 lying in a diametrically disposed plane. A bracingtruss, consisting of the three truss members l2, l3 and I4,interconnects the radially disposed struts I and 8 lying in saiddiametrically opposed plane.

A stabilizing fin or vane structure lying in said plane and extendingabove the upper frame structure and below the lower frame structure isfixed thereto and is designated as an entirety by the numeral l5.

surface of the lower conicalframe to produce a thin concave body of dishshape. This cover I6 is imperforate except for a single aperture I!which is formed therein and is bisected by the diametrically disposedplane through the stabilizing fin l5 and the truss made up of membersl2, l3 and I4, and is disposed eccentrically of the kite hub on theopposite side thereof from the stabilizing fin structure IS. The fin I5is covered with an imperforate material to produce a 'necessarystabilizing effect. In addition to this covering on the fin, thetriangular section formed by the strut member 9 and the two radiallydisposed struts and 8 fixed to said strut 9; is also covered withimperforate sheet material and, of course, this covering lies in thesame plane as the fin structure I5.

In the form shown, an electric light having a reflector llais mounted onthe bottom hub disk 5 in slightly spaced relation thereto and issupported by any suitable means such as a hollow, relatively short,cylindrical frame structure covered with imperforate material. A batteryl8 supplies the current to the incandescent bulb l9 to illuminate theunder side of the kite when flown at night.

A bridle 20 is connected to the under side of the kite, as best shown inFig. 3. This bridle 20 is connected at three equally spaced points tothe peripheral ring 10 and is also connected at the center hub of thekite to the lower disk 5. In

The fin structure l5 has a peripherally disposed frame extending fromthe hub substantially horizontally outwardly to the the form shown thisbridle is connected at the points designated by the numerals 2|, 22 and23, as best shown in Fig. 1. This bridle permits attachment of theanchoring line or cord 24, as best shown in Fig. 3. The suitable tensionbraces such as the flexible members 25 are provided to hold the finstructure l5 in relatively stable position.

When the kite is being flown the aperture I! permits the air to flowupwardly therethrough and. thus produce increased stability of theentire kite structure. The fin structure l5 disposed in diametricallyarranged position on the other side of the hub from said aperture l1 andserves to resist to a large extent the back and forth swinging movementthat would be produced without said fin structure. I have found thatthis particular position of the aperture bisected by the plane of thefin structure and formed in the opposite side of the hub in closeproximity thereto produces an extremelyrstable and easy kite to fly.There will, of course, be some back. and forth swinging movement of thekite but this swinging movement will not be sufficient to disturb thelift produced on the upper side thereof, as it would be Without thestabilizing effect of the aperture and the fin structure.

It will be seen that I have provided a relatively simple yet highlyefficient kite structure adapted to be easily flowr and to rise into theair with a slight back and forth swinging movement. It is entirelyconceivable that the frame thereof could be concavely dished but foreasy manufacture a double conical shape is somewhat simpler toconstruct.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A kite comprising a frame portion having a substantially circularperiphery and formed in two sections spaced apart at the center thereofand converging outwardly to join at the circular periphery thereof,covering means for the bottom section of said frame, said covering meansbeing imperforate except for an eccentric aperture formed therethroughto permit air to flow from the bottom to the top of the kite.

2. A kite comprising a frame structure constructed of two substantiallyconical sections having coincident base portions, a covering for thebottom conical section, said covering-being imperforate except for asingle aperture formed therein to permit the fiow of air upwardlytherethrough and stabilize the kite while it is being flown.

3. A kite comprising a frame structure having 4 substantially circularperiphery and materially thickened at the central portion thereof toform two sections spaced apart at the center and joined at theperiphery, a cover stretched across the bottom frame structure, saidcover being imperforate except for an opening formed therein, asubstantially imperforate fin structure mounted on said frame anddisposed at substantially right angles to a plane through the circularperiphery of said frame.

4. A kite comprising a frame having a substan tially circular peripheryand formed in two sections, the central portions of said sections beingspaced apart and the peripheral portions thereof being joined, thebottom frame section being covered, said covering being imperforateexcept for a single aperture eccentrically formed therein, a finstructure lying in a plane bisecting said aperture on the opposite sideof the kite centre, the plane of said fin being disposed atsubstantially right angles to a plane through a periphery of said frame.

5. A kite comprising a thin circular concave body of dish shape, saidbody having an eccentrically disposed aperture formed therethrough, asubstantially vertically disposed fin lying in a plane disposed radiallyof said body and terminating substantially at the circumference thereofand extending outwardly from the center of said body on the oppositeside thereof from said aperture.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5 and means on the opposite side ofsaid body from said fin for connecting said body to a flexible anchoringmember.

7. The structure set forth in claim 5 and said fin extending verticallyupwardly as well as downwardly from the lower surface of said body.

WILBUR G. BODELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 160,910 Wolford Nov. 14, 1950770,626 Bell Sept. 20, 1904 800,927 Mahony Oct. 3, 1905 1,189,206Moreira June 27, 1916 I 1,222,791 Perkins Apr. 17, 1917 1,546,099 MyersJuly 14, 1925 1,734,493 Knott Nov. 5, 1929 2,524,500 Whitehurst Oct. 3,1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 151,805 Great Britain Oct. 7,1920

